MAX_PATH and Windows Path/Filename Pitfalls — the 260-Character Limit, Reserved Names, Trailing Dots, and Case Sensitivity (archived 2026-07-27)

A rundown of the path and filename limits behind the classic 'file not found' bug. Covers the breakdown of MAX_PATH=260, enabling long paths with LongPathsEnabled, reserved names like CON, normalization of trailing dots, and the Path.Combine trap. Archived version of https://comcomponent.com/en/blog/windows-max-path-filename-pitfalls/, as published on 2026-07-27. The live article is maintained and may change after this date. First published 2026-07-17.